They autographed baseball caps emblazoned with "Donald & Shinzo." They played nine holes of golf with a Japanese sensation often compared to Tiger Woods and didn't keep score. They shared an intimate dinner and repeatedly showered each other with praise.

But for all the apparent chumminess between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, it hasn't resulted in much concrete action to address Trump's main complaint: fixing what he sees as an unfair trade relationship with Japan.

For Trump, more known for shoving a fellow leader aside than embracing one, the relationship with Abe is a way to show he can work with his peers around the globe. The two men also agree on a hard-line approach to North Korea.